McLeod Prison Farm (previously known as French Island Reformatory Prison 1916-1951, McLeod Training Centre 1951-1956, also known as the McLeod Settlement Reformatory Prison c.1920-c.1939)

Full description

The French Island Reformatory Prison was proclaimed under Crimes Act 1915 to hold 'habitual criminals' in accordance with the Indeterminate Sentences Act 1907. Under the Act, the role of reformatory prisons was to train prisoners determined to be 'habitual criminals' in vocations, trades or other employment. Prisoner's were held until the Indeterminate Sentences Board (VA 4161) determined that they were eligible for release on probation.

The prison was located on French Island, on the lands of the Bunurong People, and comprised an afforestation camp where prisoners were required to plant trees and perform other labour as part of their sentence. This later evolved into a prison farm. The prison was designed to hold older men, allowing Castlemaine Reformatory Prison (VA 1008) to exclusively hold young men and teenage boys.

Due to the physical isolation of the island, the prison was largely self-supporting, and excess produce was sent to Pentridge (VA xxx). Prison buildings were constructed from local materials by prison labour, however concrete block making equipment was eventually installed to allow the construction of new, sturdier buildings. However, the prison buildings were constructed without plans and were noted to be haphazard and difficult to secure.

Construction of new cell blocks and other buildings began in 1945, but due to skill and material shortages, as well as the prison's geographical isolation, construction wasn't completed until 1958. Upon opening of the new cell blocks, the prison was repurposed as a Training Centre for young men aged 21 and 25 and deemed unsuitable for Langi Kal Kal (VA xxx).

The prison was commonly referred to as the McLeod Settlement Reformatory Prison in the 1920s and 30s, and became known as the McLeod Training Centre when it was repurposed as a young offender's prison in 1951. A Special School (no. 22 4729) was established in 1954 and a educational block was completed the following year. Educational facilities and programs were expanded significantly over the next decade, however due to the isolation, classes were largely taught via correspondence and prisoners often went without access to a teacher.

Reformatory prisons were abolished with passing of the Penal Reform Act 1956, and the prison's appointment as a reformatory prison was revoked in July 1956. It was then re-proclaimed as the McLeod Prison Farm under the Gaols Act 1928 as a minimum-security prison. New dormitories were constructed to accommodate a further 40 prisoners between 1962 and 1964 bringing the total operational capacity to 133.

The isolation of the location made administration of the prison difficult, with the security and safety of prisoners, prison staff and island residents a regular concern. The land was also largely unsuitable for farming, with failure of crops a regular occurrence. With the opening of several minimum-security prisons HM Prison Morwell River (VA 4105) in 1961, HM Prison Won Wron (VA 4834) in 1964 and HM Prison Dhurringile (VA 4836) in 1965, the McLeod Prison Farm became redundant. The prison farm and special school continued to operate until the facility was closed on 30 April 1975.